Oh, my goodness. I have not seen so much snow in so long. Our weather was so lovely for so long – well into late, late November. Everyone believed we would be clobbered by snow, and we certainly have!
It’s Saturday. Tomorrow, Nellie arrives, and she will be with us for thirteen days. Nellie is a Retriever – a huge White British Retriever. Toby adores her, and they both like the snow, so the pair of them should have some superb romps in the garden.
We have all of our provisions in thanks to Ann who came in the middle of a heavy snowfall to be with Don and Toby. There is enough pet food for several months and surely there will be something in the larder – maybe not fresh fruit – but something for the humans in the house should the weather set in and not go away.
Many have asked what we are doing for the holidays. ‘Nothing’. I am not a grinch – I love and have loved sharing the holidays with friends and family for many decades. I am now ready to put the skids on and enjoy some quiet. We will enjoy the animals. I am not going to cook a big dinner – perhaps a small one with a pavlova for dessert or a Haskap Chocolate Yule Log from the Farmer’s Kitchen. There are only two of us who will be there! Although I suspect it depends on the offerings, as Toby and Nellie might have their noses right up at that table. My idea of a holiday, this year, is relaxing – we have done the big dinners, the fuss and muss and the fun and laughter. This year, I would like to sit under the duvet by the fire with a good book, watching the animals, a mug of hot chocolate in hand.
Indeed, I urge each of us to make our lives simpler and less stressful. Simple gifts, shared meals so that not one person has to do all the work, breathing and relaxing, walks and quiet times and, of course, watching the birds.
Rose and Ron’s first hatch, R9, has arrived at 37.8 days, at the Dade County nest in Florida. Egg 2 is 35 days old. What an incredibly beautiful sight – Ron and Rose looking at their new baby! The little one was first seen around 0813.
There is sadness at the Central Florida Superbeaks nest of Pepe and Muhlady as chick number 2, Froto, has died at 10 days old. It is thought that he got caught in the rails when one of the adults went to ward off an owl (both left the nest).
E26 is doing very well. Cute and already strong and eager to eat!
It appears that the part of E26’s egg that was attached to E27 is now off. No pip yet. Happy to have one healthy eaglet, too.
Country Diary is all about Brent Geese flying over the Isle of White.
Brock came to the feeder around 2000 Friday night after the blizzard had calmed down. He does not mind the woven basket around his heated food tray, but he dislikes one of those plastic bins. Did someone try to trap him with one of them?
I do worry about Brock, but he has no frozen ears, and it has been really cold. His bolt hole must be warm.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care. We will see you again tomorrow! Today is Nellie proofing the house!
Thank you to the owners of the streaming cams, the authors of the FB posts, and The Guardian for covering the environment.
It’s cold! I tried to make the forecast bigger so that you could read it easier. We are under an extreme cold warning. Still, the birds and squirrels were at the feeders, and dear Brock came for food several times. I noticed that he spent a lot of time eating the dry kibble that Calico enjoys.
Shockingly it is supposed to be a lot warmer, perhaps up to + 4 C, on Tuesday. Ann is taking Don to the zoo!!!! Unbelievable.
Today’s blog is going to be shorter than usual, even for these quick holiday posts. I have a head cold – my head feels like it is the size of a 45-gallon drum. It was supposed to be a fun day – a dog walk to try out our new faux-fur lined bomber hats from Sweden, an afternoon at our grandson’s high school where he is Bill in Mamma Mia, and a phone call with the granddaughter in Australia. So instead, I am in bed, sipping ginger and lemon tea, cuddled with Toby under several warm blankets.
We woke up to -30 C. The good thing is that the snow is dry. That wet snow from a week ago made you cold to the bone. The new bomber cap with ear flaps is amazing and I can’t wait to try it out along with some Merino wool leggings. Will keep you posted.
Thank you so much for your letters and comments. I am glad that you enjoyed Heidi’s montage as much as I did. I will treasure it forever. I am also glad you enjoyed our photos and those with Santa. Sometimes it is nice to put a face with a name.
In Bird World news, the third egg at the Central Florida nest of Pepe and Muhlady hatched! Here are the hatch dates and names:
The hatching dates and names for their 2025 clutch at the Central Florida SuperBeaks nest are:
Mira: The first eaglet, which hatched around December 7 or 8, 2025.
Froto: The second eaglet, which hatched on December 9, 2025.
Zeagle: The third eaglet, which hatched early in the morning on December 13, 2025
There was a harrowing moment at the West End nest of Akecheta and Haku. Another adult showed up. I did not know and am very grateful to ‘B’ for sending me a note. ‘B’ explains: “What happened is that both Akecheta and Haku were there from about 3:00 to 3:35, and then both took off very close to each other at 3:37, just as the visitor left the overlook cam. After a few minutes, Akecheta returned to the tor, followed a bit later by Haku. Then I believe what you saw the chatters refer to is that the second time Haku left at 4:20, and Akecheta stayed maybe another 15 minutes.”
The chat established the locations: “Haku and Akecheta were sitting on the far tor and a 3rd was sitting in front of the WEO cam.”
‘B’ and I agree that we do not need any drama at the West End this year! Just baby eaglets.
If you get confused over the names of the branches at some of the nests, Gracie Shepherd has done a great post on FB showing the names and locations of those at SW Florida:
We did get to talk to the Granddaughter and her fiancé in Australia. It wasn’t as ‘exciting’ as it might have been were I feeling better but it was good that we had that video chat. Don was really looking forward to ‘seeing’ them. They will have an Australian Christmas dinner on the 24th and a traditional Canadian one on the 25th. I wondered what a ‘traditional Australian’ Christmas dinner is – it’s a barbecue and they are planning to go to the beach, followed by pavlova for dessert! Oh, I miss Elysha, and I really do like Josh.
I am thumbing through a new book that has arrived, Wings Across the Atlantic by Colin Rees and Mark Avery. Each author spends a year looking at the natural world around them. My interest at the moment is that Rees has several entries on the deaths of ospreys in the Cape Henlopen area, which Heidi covered in our project. I will keep you informed of my final verdict on this volume in the new year.
So sorry this is so short. I am going to take a day or two off to recover from this cold. Keep your eye on SW Florida – we are due for a pip soon.
Thank you to ‘B’ for alerting me to the potential issues at the West End and for SK Hideaways who caught it all on video. I am grateful for the FB posts and the streaming cams that allow us to view the lives of our raptors.
I am extremely grateful to you – members of the Bird World community who care so much for the natural world.
I hope that the beginning of the week was a good one for all of you. As the holiday season draws closer, even if you do not celebrate anything at all, you will feel the rush and the stress without knowing it. There is more traffic, the crowds are bigger, and people are not always polite. Everyone has forgotten to slow down, breathe, and have fun. Cranky might be an apt word for many others, but I hope it doesn’t describe you.
Look for the good and the beautiful, and do not let the bad and the ugly get you down; do not let them ruin your life. And don’t let the drive to have the cleanest house, the most perfect meal, and the most ideal table decorations, along with stacks of presents, ruin the moment. None of that really matters. Time with friends and family sharing laughter – and maybe a sandwich instead of a meal that took hours and hours to prepare and made you dead tired on your feet – is really what the holidays should be about.
It continues to be warmer on the Canadian prairies with temperatures on Tuesday around -9 C. Snow continues to fall and the young man who shovels for us will, no doubt, be coming again tonight as he did last evening. It is quite beautiful, but the roads are ‘greasy’ and someone even wrote to say it was raining on one side of our city. It is near the middle of December. This season is strange.
I took a very short video in the small front garden where the conifers are planted. The small tree is in memory of Melvin, one of our cats (a tuxedo like Brock). Melvin was a sweetheart. We put solar lights on his tree this year. There is a Scotch pine planted in memory of Don’s mother, a large Blue Spruce we planted in 1998 in memory of our youngest son, William, and an apple tree that was relatively small when we purchased the property. A family of chickadees lives in the Blue Spruce. Missey often sits atop a small dresser, watching them. Gosh, it makes me so happy to have a garden in the middle of a city where wildlife feel safe.
I tried to capture the snow falling, but the iPhone camera didn’t quite do it justice. Squint. You can see a bit of snow falling. LOL. If you have suggestions on the settings that will help me improve, by all means, please tell me! Please.
Ann took the boys out for a long walk in the snow. We will go out again tonight. -9 °C is simply the perfect temperature. Toby loves to romp. As I always try to mention, ‘The Girls’ do not have any desire to go outside. They easily find the closest vent with the heat pouring out – or their heated beds that ‘EJ’ recommended a couple of years ago. They still love them, especially when the floor is cold.
Everyone in the garden has been accounted for, except for one Blue Jay, missing for over a week. That leaves a sad hole in my heart. I wonder what happened. I hope that one is just off visiting the kids and will return. Stay tuned. You will be the first to know. The Crows are here, but they are not coming as often; as a result, only about half of the peanuts are eaten. The small birds have increased in number so that we will increase the amount of wild bird seed and Black Oil seed for them. They are fluffed up to stay warm.
This year, I have not ordered many books, simply because few interested me. One did entice me, though, and that was Amy Tan’s The Backyard Bird Journal.
You will never know which birds are visiting your garden or their seasonal patterns unless you keep a journal. This book is an excellent gift for you or for inspiring someone to look more closely at the natural world around them. You need to be sure to add the date and the year and I also recommend adding the temperature and wind conditions. Later, you can go back and do an annual comparison.
The Backyard Bird Journal is more than a journal if you let it be. Tan discusses how nature ‘saved her’ and how being outside in the natural world can reduce stress. Her ‘Introduction’ is very personal – read it. Think about how wildlife, being in nature and actually ‘seeing it’, can change your life. Her other book, Backyard Bird Chronicles, is beautiful and tells her journey to find happiness after the stress she felt when she began. I highly recommend both – especially now when you might be feeling there is no hope for nature.
The second eaglet has hatched at the Central Florida nest of Pepe and Muhlady and its name is Froto.
I mentioned issues with disclaimers at Superbeaks. I am so grateful that Heidi spoke up with what happened to her. This is the reason that I am very weary of covering this nest.
This is in the comments section of my blog, but, because many people do not read the comments, I want to include it here.
Heidi wrote:
“About 18 months ago I made 3 videos to show the fledges of the eaglets (Mason and Dixie) and their return to the nest. The videos were complex with transitions, overlays, and graphics, and took a lot of time to make. I gave credit to Superbeaks, and their logo was on the videos. My YT channel is not, and has never been monetized. SB/CF took my videos, cropped off my watermark, and posted them on their own channel. When I protested, they replied that the videos I made were their property. I filed copyright strikes with YT, I won, and YT removed the videos from the SB/CF site. Then, SB/CF filed a counter-strike with YT and threatened to sue me. YT washed their hands of it at that point, and told me that I had 15 days to show proof that I was suing SB/CF. Of course, I was not going to spend the money and go that far. It was after their issue with my videos that SB/CF posted their current legal language below their live feed. Their copyright statement is not new, it has been posted for about 18 months. There was no such language posted before I made the fledge videos. By the way… I was not, nor have ever been a ‘professional scraper’. Beware.”
For those of you who are capturing images and making videos, like Heidi, I recommend being careful.
One nest I do love is the Charles Sturt Falcon cam. Girri is getting so big. She is waiting for breakfast to arrive and in it comes!
Dad was on the nest of the barge at Port Lincoln in South Australia. Hello, Dad! So nice to see you again.
Hawk Mountain has posted their migration chart for the week of December 9:
Look over those numbers. Some birds have really increased in numbers – like the Bald Eagle. Others have had a sharp decline (so far). We still have eagles in Manitoba. I continue to say that they know more about the changes in weather patterns than we do. It is going to be a very interesting winter.
A close encounter with a Buzzard. The following commentary, “Six feet away, the buzzard crouched, as though preparing to leave if I came any closer, and I wondered what kept her there. Was she weak with hunger? Or sick? Or reluctant to waste energy against the cold wind? What remains with me now is the intensity of her eye, glossy black in the light, how the buzzard’s gaze drilled into mine, as if the world were simply endless calculation.” reminds me of my encounter with a very large female Sharp-shinned/Cooper’s Hawk years ago in my garden. Looking deep into her eyes changed my life. I have not experienced anything so powerful since that cold winter’s morning in the garden. This is one of those lovely little Country diary articles of 350 words or fewer. Enjoy.
The RSPB describes Buzzards: “Now the most common and widespread UK bird of prey, the Buzzard is quite large with broad, rounded wings, and a short neck and tail. When gliding and soaring, it will often hold its wings in a shallow ‘V’ and the tail is fanned. Buzzards vary in colour from all dark brown to much paler variations, but all have dark wingtips and a finely-striped tail. Their mournful mewing call could be mistaken for a cat.”
“Key features to look out for:
Not to be confused with the Honey Buzzard, which is a rare summer visitor to the UK. They glide with their wings held flat, tilting their tail like a kite. Their wings are not held raised in a ‘V’. They are neatly barred underneath, with a prominent small head.
Usually brown, with white undersides to the wings, but their plumage is quite variable
Adults have an obvious dark tail band and dark trailing edges to their wings
Long, broad wings with prominent ‘fingers’
Buzzards tend to hold their wings in a raised ‘V’ when soaring, whereas Red Kites hold their wings flat, or slightly downcurved
Short tail, often fanned in flight, which lacks the distinctive fork of a Red Kite’s
Yellow beak, with a black tip
Yellow legs
Often sits with a hunched posture”.
In the UK, Buzzards are on the UK Green List meaning they are doing well and have no conservation concerns. I love them. They remind me of Red-tail Hawks despite the difference in their plumage.
Calico sends everyone some love.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Take care. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow.
Thank you to Heidi for carefully explaining what happened to her when she posted a few of her videos. At the time, I was so taken aback by the way she was treated that I stopped covering this nest, and despite how much I admire Pepe and Muhlady as parents, other nests will get my attention and donations. Thank you to Hawk Mountain for providing their detailed charts and to Amy Tan for her new book. Thanks, Gracie Shepherd, for the FB post about the second hatch at Superbeaks. Thanks to everyone connected with the Charles Sturt Falcon scrape – Cilla Kinross and to Holly Parsons for being such a great FB group moderator. Once again, I want to thank The Guardian for its articles on wildlife and the environment and OpenVerse for images that can be used on various social media platforms if citations are included.
Winter is truly here. Snow is falling regularly. The temperature has warmed from the frigid cold of a few days ago to a balmy -9. Our walk with Toby as the snow danced down was wonderful. -9 C is just perfect winter weather. Toby loves the snow. He jumps and plays sniffing every tree or bush along the path.
This is Ellen’s photo from Monday morning. Ellen comes on Mondays and Thursdays. All I have to do is say her name, and Toby’s eyes literally light up. When she arrives, he jumps up and down for joy. Our lad loves his walks. They usually go from 1.3 to 1.7 km in half an hour. Toby is truly tired when he gets home.
One of the things I often get asked is how we stay warm in such cold weather. First, our houses are super insulated, and ours has triple-pane windows with a gas-filled cavity between the mullions and special glass that holds the heat in winter and dissipates it in the summer. Doors fit super tight. Our heating bills can be high, especially in January and February. We dress to go outside. Our coats are rated to -40 C. Our coats are ‘800 fill down’. This means that one ounce of this down expands to fill 800 cubic inches. Our coats are fluffy, very lightweight, and super warm, as are our boots, which are also rated to -40 C. We wear natural materials such as wool. I find a cashmere turtle neck layered with another sweater works when it is truly around -30 C. Hats and gloves are lined, and we have scarves of every thickness and size. I find that when we are moving, we stay warm, but when we stop to chat with other dog walkers, we often start to feel cold, especially our toes.
Holidays are just around the corner, and during the days and weeks ahead, your lives will get busier. Hanukkah begins at sunset on the 14th, Christmas is on the 25th, and Kwanza, St Stephen’s Day, and Boxing Day are on the 26th. For my friends in Japan, the tradition of cleaning comes just ahead of the new year celebrations. Oh, how I would love to be in Kyoto munching on mochi!
Calico reminds all of us that it is the precious time we have together, not the money or the presents (the stuff we will happily discard later), that make us joyful or peaceful. So, please, take a breath. Please just put away the credit card if it is out of your wallet, and think of something that you can do for someone to help them. It could be an afternoon of babysitting. Or taking someone for a walk and giving a caregiver free time? Why not find some objects and greenery and make some small wreaths for friends? Or cook them a simple meal – it does not have to be elaborate. Remember it is the time together that is important. I cannot tell you how much Thursday afternoons with my daughter, Jaine, taking Don out for a long walk means to me. I cannot put it into words. Made some homemade jam? Put a ribbon on it! What a lovely gift. Be creative and smile after the holidays because you will not be agonising over how to pay for them. Then send Calico a ‘thank you’. She would love to hear what you did that didn’t cost ‘the bank’.
Calico found a great article in The Guardian, ‘Shop secondhand, shred your veg and try ‘furoshiki’ wrapping: 14 easy ways to cut Christmas waste’. Grab a ‘cuppa and have a good read. I do love the orange peel stars. We are going to work on that this week!
Snow is dancing down. It is really quite beautiful and festive. I will try and capture some of their beauty with the camera phone.
The early morning, but most especially the time right before the sun begins to set around 1600, is magical. There is a golden glow to the light. All of the garden animals are out eating – the Chickadees, the four grey squirrels, Little Red, the Starlings and Sparrows, Mr and Mrs Crow and, sadly, only a single Blue Jay today. This worries me, but we will see about tomorrow. Maybe there will be two.
As I mentioned at the beginning, the frigid temperatures disappeared on Monday, and it was wonderful to be outside in the snow. Toby loves the snow. He runs, jumps, and rolls in his snow suit, and he doesn’t even mind having his boots put on. Boots, you say? Boots for a dog? They have super grip on the bottom, and that keeps him from slipping on the ice while protecting his back legs. We don’t want any dislocations!
On Wednesday, we have hired a local photographer to take some very informal and fun photos of Don and me – and Toby, of course, at our local park. ‘The Girls’ would not sign the waiver!!!!!!! We have not had our picture taken together in any professional way for decades – and I do mean decades. I am so excited. We are just hoping that the warmer temperatures will hold. If they come out, I will be posting them here on the blog.
Pepe and Muhlady’s first hatch at North Central Florida (Superbeaks) Bald Eagle nest has been named Mira. I stopped covering this nest because the owners of the Superbeaks streaming cam took exception to Heidi posting videos of the nest. Over a year later, it appears that the owners have had a change of heart. Paul Kolnik on Bald Eagles 101 now states that they have said that it is alright to post videos and images from the nest on social media.
I have no idea what the term ‘professional scraper’ means, so I am including a FB post today by Maria Johnson so you can see that little grey fluff ball. Since I do not earn any income from my blog, I assume the term does not apply to me. That said, I will rarely post anything from this nest until there is a clear understanding of what is meant by the term. I do love Pepe and Mulady – they are incredible eagle parents.
Pepe has brought in prey, and both adults have fed Mira.
Egg number 2 has a hole and egg number 3 has a crack. Mira will have brothers and/or sisters soon.
The Laysan Albatross are incubating eggs on Kauai. Hob Osterlund keeps us up to date – check out the battle for incubation. Doesn’t this look familiar?
Big things are happening at Big Bear Valley for Jackie and Shadow, and they are really early this season. Has this pair figured out that laying their eggs earlier might lead to a higher hatching success? SPO gives us all the details!
Beau and Gabby continue to take turns incubating their eggs. Do you remember when Gabby had more suitors than days in the week? We wondered if V3 was worthy. There was blood and skirmishes and that first year everything went sideways after Samson disappeared. Then we wondered if Beau was up to the task of fathering after burying the egg. We learned that he is up to the task last year. Fingers crossed that this one is even better for one of our favourite Bald Eagle couples.
The camera operators at the Trempeauleau Bald Eagle nest in Wisconsin (Raptor Resource Project) are to be commended. We got a beautiful look at the nest and surrounding area. Mr T has been chortling with Mrs T. I wonder if he is also doing the same with the ‘other Mrs T’ on the other side of the lake?
Snow in Iowa at the nest of Mr and Mrs North at Decorah.
At the US Steel nest of Irvine (Irv) and Stella, Pix Cams caught the pair fishing and soaring. https://youtu.be/SSV1vj5o09o?
Snow covers the nest at ND-LEEF in South Bend, Indiana.
It’s a little warmer on Captiva where Connie and Clive are incubating their two eggs.
Warmer at Fraser Point, home of Cruz and Andor.
Jolene and Boone are at their nest in Johnson City, Texas.
Ron and Rose – oh, I do love Ron. What a character! Incubating eggs in the heat of a Florida winter.
Knepp Farm reintroduced White Storks to the south of England. Now London will be getting their own in a rewilding programme. Can you feel the smile on my face?
Saving Monarchs posted this really informative image on FB. We have always had a lone rabbit coming to our garden in the winter. This year is no different – it appears that the large rabbit population of fifteen years ago has dwindled due to habitat destruction and road collisions.
Since it is the holiday season, Everything Gardening posted a very appropriate information poster on what can harm wildlife. Please look it over and make certain that you have not inadvertently put decorations outside that will harm our beloved friends.
Thank you so much for being with us today. Please take care of yourself. We look forward to having you with us tomorrow as we continue our daily check in as we lead up to more eagle hatches.
Thank you to the owners of the FB groups and their posts, to The Guardian for covering wildlife stories and the environment, and to the owners of the streaming cams that give us a glimpse into the lives of these amazing raptor families.
Hello Everyone! Hugo Yugo hopes that everyone is going to have a super day today. She wants you to look closely. Despite missing a whisker or three, her eyes are clear. She now has the face of a cat on a kitten’s body, and all she wants to do is sleep, play, and cuddle – not necessarily in that order. I love waking up at night and finding her sleeping under my chin or on top of my head…seriously, it just makes me so happy. Then there is her constant ‘purr’. She does this when she gets her needles, too. The happiest little kitten, nearing six months old.
The eggs in Eagle World are really starting to come. I will not be able to keep up with them so if you see something, let me know! Thanks, so much.
The Centerport Eagles have their first egg of the season.
Mum and the new male at Pittsburgh-Hayes have their first egg. She turned so quickly there was just a quick glimpse of the egg at 2016 Tuesday night, the 20th.
The video:
Denton Homes has its first egg.
And then, there were two. He is named Mason. Is this a nod to the Mason-Dixon Line?
At Big Bear, Jackie has the most determined look. Those eggs are going to hatch! Well, at least one of them we hope. We are now one week away from pip watch for Jackie and Shadow. Hold your breath. Send good energy their way and to Jak and Audacity who still have one egg they are incubating.
I clearly would not want to break Jackie’s focus..look at those eyes.
SK Hideaways did an amazing job capturing Jackie and Shadow and the weather – protecting those eggs!
Twenty-five year old Liberty just laid the third off for her and mate, Guardian, at the Redding Eagle nest in California. The local time was 1642.
After having quite a beating by Swampy, Meadow still managed to get a nice crop at a feeding. Dear Swampy, don’t you think you could just let it up now…geez. We know you are the boss and so does Meadow.
This video will put a smile on your face – Meadow full to the top!
Their intentions were good. PSEG responded to a reader, alerting them to the fishing line in the Patchogue nest of Mini. They cleaned it, but to everyone’s dismay, they turned the nest upside down. This has created a huge mound. The eagles will not be able to build up the sides sufficiently enough – those rails would have to be super high – to avoid the eggs or the chicks rolling out. If you feel so included, let PSEG know that you are grateful they cleaned the nest, but if they could get back and turn it right side up, that would be fantastic. This is the e-mail to contact (please be polite – we will need them all season, but this needs to be fixed!): pseg-li-customerservice@pseg.com
All appears well at the WRDC nest. A ‘gold’ fish was brought into the nest. Could anyone possibly identify the fish? I tried Florida Fish ID and came up with too many options!
Big Red and Arthur were both working on their nest on the Cornell Campus on Wednesday.
Water, water everywhere. This is the map showing the 41 affected areas of the vast flooding in Wales. Let us hope that all is back to normal, not only for the people of Wales but also for the wildlife and the raptors that will be returning.
Around the Ospreys nest at Glaslyn in Wales.
I have not been able to log on to all the nests.
Rain and wind at Llyn Brenig.
The Egyptian Geese have been checking what they hoped would be their nest at Rutland, but the use of a simple bin lid and bricks seems to have encouraged them to seek another site. I don’t think Maya and Blue 33 would take too kindly to their home being occupied when they return fro migration.
It is going to be one fantastic view at Dyfi. They are testing the camera, and it will be online soon.
One of the words on people’s minds today is ‘branching’. I was taught – of course, eons ago, that ‘branching’ was when the eagle (various species) flew from the nest bowl to the branch. That definition appears to have changed according to some American source.
Audubon: A pre-fledge milestone is an activity called branching when the eaglet takes short hops/flights to branches within the nest tree. The young eagles normally branch for up to 7-10 days before fledge, exercising theirs wings and legs, taking short flights to branches in the nest tree.
National Eagle Centre: Branching: When eaglets move from the nest to a branch and flap their wings before jumping off. This common behaviour serves to strengthen flight muscles and acclimate the eaglet to life outside the nest.
Loudon: Branching means both feet are off the nest bed onto a nearby branch or trunk.Branching is a critical developmental step on the path to independent flight. Prior to branching, an eaglet spends time jumping, flapping, and actually “hovering” off the nest, learning to get wind under its wings. When branching, an eaglet will perch on a branch in their home tree. From there, they can flap their wings, jump off and land on a lower branch or back at the nest. This behavior strengthens their flight muscles and improves their agility and landing skills. The adults may encourage this behavior by withholding food. Eaglets may be observed exercising their wings, but they may also be perched on a branch out of camera range.Branching typically lasts seven to 10 days, when it is especially vital to keep the nest free from any human disturbance that could cause premature fledging. An eaglet that leaves the nest too soon may need to be cared for by the parents on the ground, where they are at greater risk of predation. But if all goes well, branching will help the eaglet take its first successful flight and spend the next few weeks honing its flying and landing skills and learning to forage for food.
Of course, the focus of all this ‘branching’ discussion is Cal at the Captiva Bald Eagle nest who apparently walked up the branch but left a talon on the nest and did not branch.
Cal has certainly found his way to sitting on the rim of the nest, but he has done this before. Lusa’s body is deteriorating and soon the feathers will be blown off the nest and what remains will become part of the history of this nest.
Mum at Duke Farms is out of the snow!
No eggs yet at Three Bridges.
I am not convinced that this will be a successful year at Dulles-Greenway. Lewis doesn’t seem to fully understand what his role is…yet. Just like Beau at NE Florida.
Just like Cal, E23 is looking out to the wider world beyond the nest. Standing on the rim and flapping wings. What a great year for F23 as a first time Mum and M15. E23 is doing fantastic.
It was windy and the structure was shaking at times at JBS Wetlands. It did not seem to bother the Bald Eagles one bit.
It is Pip Watch at Johnson City!
Some of the non-breeders are causing mischief at the Royal Albatross Colony.
This note arrived for members of the VENTANA WILDLIFE SOCIETY today from Kelly Sorenson. I did mention some of the issues with images, but in case you missed it. These California Condors are precious. There were 21 condors lost in Arizona last year to HPAI. Ventana has worked diligently, including getting pens for vaccinations to stop harm to the California group
I have received a few notes from individuals that did not know anything about the California Condors and some that knew a little. I will provide some good information on their history and current numbers and the challenges in the days ahead just as part of my desire to educate us on their importance and the horrific hurdles in trying to build up the colony numbers.
Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care. See you soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, articles, screen captures, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘H, J, M, SP’, Rob Schwartz, PIX Cams, Trudi Kron, Superbeaks, FOBBV, SK Hideaways, FORE, Eagle Country, Lady Deeagle, PSEG, WRDC, Cornell RTH Cam, Wales Flood Alert, Bywyd Gwylld Glaslyn, Llyn Brenig, LRWT, Dyfi Osprey Project, Audubon, National Eagle Centre, Loudon Wildlife, Window to Wildlife, Duke Farms, Three Bridges Eagle Cam, Dulles-Greenway, SW Florida Eagle Cam, JBS Wetlands, Rollin’ Rag, Sharon Dunne, and VENTANA WILDLIFE SOCIETY.
Thank you, again, for your kind wishes for Hugo Yugo. She is fine. She is more than fine. Flying around the house and getting into trouble – back to her usual self. I have no idea what made her tummy upset or why she was vomiting and refusing to eat. There are no poisonous plants in the house or fresh flowers – nothing I could tell she might have eaten. Today, however, that slick little one flew onto the kitchen counter behind me (a gallery kitchen) and ate at least one mouthful of freshly grated Parmesan cheese before I caught her. So, of course, I will be watching out tomorrow. She has certainly tried to make up for any food that she missed as well and has been romping and running with Baby Hope, to the delight of her younger sister, who had no one to play with while Hugo Yugo was not herself.
Calico doesn’t understand ‘why’ she doesn’t get the little extra meals the two younger ones get, but she is on a diet and doing well. She was so thin from feeding Hope and living in the street. The calming medication she was given caused her to blow up like a whale in a few weeks. I took her off it. The Feliway diffuser helped, and finally, she and Missey live mostly harmoniously. On occasion, Calico gets cranky, not just at Missey but at Hugo Yugo, too! Now it is taking months and months to get that weight off. I have a padded harness for her, and when the weather is better, we are adding walks to the regiment.
I love the golden light on Calico and the paper Peonies.
A few more pics of ‘The Girls’ on Sunday.
Yes, Hugo Yugo got caught under the plant stand. I have no clue how she managed to get herself under there. It is 2 inches clearance, but she did.
Their evening ritual in the Swan chair…Calico wakes me up at 0830, and twelve hours later, she is in this chair with Baby Hope. You could set your watch by her.
It is raining in Florida on Sunday, pitching down rain at a time when it should be ‘dry’. The forecast is for it to rain for the next 24 hours.
Abby and Blaze have been particularly attentive to little Swampy and Meadow. There is plenty of food on the nest and they are being fed quickly and Abby is taking good care not to let them get wet.
At Captiva, Cal looks so wet and lonely.
Food had been scarce. Cal was hungry. It was late on Sunday when prey finally arrived. Around 1645, Clive and Connie flew in with a nice fish for Cal. He had a lovely feeding and then got the fishtail all to himself. He was so excited when that fish dinner landed on that nest.
It is raining at NE Florida and there is no sign of Beau or Gabby. The egg, which was nearing its 48th or 49th day today, is uncovered. I hope that they have given up on it hatching and are out doing eagle things. I am not expecting a second clutch here this year, but….the eagles can surprise us.
I would say Gabby has abandoned the egg. Smart girl. Glad she did not incubate it for any longer…
Still raining…we are on pip/hatch watch for the first egg of the second clutch for Pepe and Muhlady and what terrible weather they have for this.
That hatch is now in progress. Thanks, ‘H’.
E23 was wet. F23 came in and fed him/her a nice fish meal and tried as hard as they could to warm that little one. Oh, I wish Connie would come in and snuggle with Cal.
The weather is nice at the JB Sands Wetlands near Dallas. JBS20 is being left alone more and more as s/he gets older.
We are on egg watch at Denton Homes in Decorah, Iowa.
Thank you ‘J’ for the laugh. Yes, Sally certainly does have a ballgown instead of underfluffies! She is working hard today to keep her two precious Osprey eggs warm and dry.
The weather is good at Big Bear. No wet sticks for the eagles to slip on…and the three eggs look good. Gentlest of changeovers from Jackie to Shadow Sunday morning. We are now 10 days away from pip watch.
At 1300 nest time, there were 6328 people watching Jackie incubate the eggs. Those numbers will soar when those eggs hatch. Wonder which news station will launch the story first?
Someone needs to make Dr Sharpe a Superhero costume. Qualifications: quick thinking on one’s feet, the ability to make something out of nothing, no fear of heights, able to climb cliffs, no fear of Bald Eagles, can carry more than one’s weight, not afraid to jump out of a helicopter with eaglet in hand — sounds like a comic strip character. — So you are wondering why I am writing this – well, Dr Sharpe went out in a helicopter to find out why the cameras are not working. Gracie Shepherd posted the adventure:
R6 goes back into the nest after banding and after all dangerous materials are removed. Thanks Lloyd Brown for the video!
R6 is in the grey/brown bag.
Xavier and Diamond are empty-nesters having raised Marri and Barru to fledge. While we will never know what happened to Barru (perhaps nothing but an early exit from the territory although I do doubt that), we do know that Marri was well trained by her parents and hopefully she will thrive raising her own chicks in a few years.
Cilla Kinross posted this image of Xavier catching some rays at sunset.
The fishing line and lure in the E3 nest at Kistachie National Forest have caused concern. On camera, the female was seen with what ‘appears’ to be a fishing lure in her mouth. She moves to the edge of the nest, but, to my eye, it is not clear what happened to the lure after that. There are no eaglets in the nest. There are not even eggs. Any remaining fishing line in the nesting material to the left and that lure could cause future harm or even harm to the two adult eagles attempting to claim this nest. So my question is very simple – why not clean up the nest? Surely to goodness the evidence is there of manmade materials and the potential future harm to warrant a green light to do some housekeeping for the raptors.
Now there is a GHO visiting the nest that could get injured if any manmade objects are still in that nest like fishing line, hooks, and lures.
Looks like Rosa is doing the heavy lifting at Dulles Greenway. Will Lewis bring her something to eat? Two eggs now.
At Decorah North, Mrs DNF laid her second egg of the 2024 season on Sunday.
Liberty has now laid the first egg of the season for her and Guardian 15 February at 1607. Was there a second egg on the 18th. Should have been. Will find out!
‘J’ and I have been discussing the age of some of the female eagles and she sent me the following information on Liberty. You might find it as interesting as I did. (I do not know the author of the material, perhaps you do and can tell me so I can credit them).
I should not have said anything the other day about the Duke Farm’s Mum and snow. This is her on Sunday. I know they handle the snow, but goodness my heart aches for them regardless.
Monty and Hartley must protect their territory from pesky juveniles!
Here is the weekly video summary for the Port Lincoln Ospreys, Giliath and Bradley.
At Port Lincoln, Bradley is reminding me more and more of Ervie. At 0735 he had his first puffer on the ropes. Mum and Dad are over on the old barge hoping their restaurant delivery days are over for this season!
Nice close up of Gil.
Seán Ronayne is out to record every bird in Ireland – to compel people to hopefully understand and empathise with what is happening to nature. Well written, captivating article.
An excerpt: Ronayne’s passion for wild birds, and the precious but dwindling habitats that support them, has struck a chord in Ireland at a moment of late-dawning awareness of the seriousness of the country’s ecological crisis. “It’s an outrage, but many people still don’t realise how bad it is,” he says, sounding uncharacteristically angry. “Ireland is one of the most nature-depleted countries in Europe. We have lost 90% of our wetlands, more than any other country in the world, and have just 1% of native tree cover, the lowest in Europe.”
The core issue is intensive farming, with more than 60% of the land given over to what, in government-speak, is called improved agricultural grassland. “It means that everything has been removed except rye grass for animal feed,” Ronayne says. “Fields are now cut maybe three of four times a year for silage, whereas there used to be traditional hay meadows that would have been host to nesting species like the corncrake, skylark, lapwing and curlew.”
News has come that ‘America’ – the Dollywood Bald Eagle – has died.
Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care. We hope to have you with us again soon!
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, streaming cams, videos, and articles that helped me to write my blog today: ‘H, J’ Eagle Country, Window to Wildlife, NEFL-AEF, Superbeaks, SW Florida Eagle Cam, JB Sands Wetlands, Denton Homes, Moorings Park, FOBBV, IWS, Lloyd Brown, Cilla Kinross, Tonya Irwin, Dulles-Greenway, Sharon Lee, FORE, Duke Farms, SK Hideaways, PLO, Bart M, and The Guardian.
It is never a good morning after we lose a raptor, and waking up on Friday and finding that Lusa had died during the night was incredibly sad. Indeed, all went to bed after seeing her/him eat feeling much more optimistic about the situation at Captiva.
At the same time I was reading a note about Lusa, Hugo Yugo was vomiting, had diarrhoea, and was lethargic. She was fine when she went to bed but, by morning, he was not playing and didn’t want any treats – sure signs that something was not right. We spent the afternoon at the vet. It is a long weekend in Canada, the vet clinics are packed, and we have to go to a different vet than we usually use. After tests for any poisons (they came back negative), she had an IV for hydration and an injection to calm her stomach and had the Flora-Flora powder to sprinkle on her food. If she does not improve, then we move to X-rays, etc. The diagnostic end of it all. For Hugo Yugo to not eat is unsettling, just like with Lusa. For her not to play is just not right. Again, the same goes for the eaglet. Our condolences go out to Lori Covert, the folks at Window to Wildlife, but most of all Clive, Connie, and Cal.
When Connie and Joe lost Hope and Peace to rodenticide poisoning in 2020-21, it was a real tragedy. The parents knew what had happened. They stood over the dead body of their second eaglet in quiet disbelief. The eaglets had consumed less than a whole rat, but it was a designer poison, and Lori has spent years trying to get people to stop using rodenticides on the island. Joe never returned to the nest after the mourning period. And I will say it clearly and loud – he felt guilty for bringing that rat to the nest that killed their kids. Ask Marc Bekoff, Professor of Avian Behaviour at the University of Colorado at Boulder – animals have feelings. They care. They are sentient like we are.
So far, Cal looks good. They cannot, for safety and legal reasons, remove the body of Lusa. The adults might try to shove the body off the nest, even carry it and drop it in the ocean, or Lusa might wind up as part of the nest. There is no fear of Cal eating its sibling (yes, I have had multiple questions about that). I would have concerns if Lusa had highly pathogenic avian influenza. But that seems highly unlikely because Cal is doing so well. We saw siblings die close together on other nests if it was HPAI.
Connor stated that getting on a nest after four weeks is hard because the other eaglet might get spooked and jump off. That is the last thing we want to happen to Cal. So keep sending positive energy to this nest – it would be grand if Connie and Clive fledged an eaglet this year. With Connick having issues and falling off the nest last year and now going to the Smithsonian, it has been a while since Mum Connie saw a baby fly free.
Angel and Tom are both at their nest. The Blue Jays are apparently not bothering Tom but are aggravating Angel. If they continue to come to the nest, the camera will go live.
I have not done a lot of nest checking today so this post could be ‘slim’. I did head to Eagle Country to check on Swampy and Meadow. Indeed, all of the eaglets that have survived on the nests this year are a miracle. There were so many incidents of DNH…
Blaze was on the nest feeding his eaglets and did a splendid job of it. Both got lots and lots to eat! Gosh, Dad was very even-handed in that feeding. Those two are getting their thermal down. See how dark they are getting, and the soft, fluffy baby down is coming off., Darlings. Just little darlings.
A little bit of a mohawk coming.
E23 is looking good at SW Florida. Just keep all good wishes coming to every nest with babes – we never know what can happen. I am not saying this to worry you, but rather to appreciate those who are healthy and to stay vigilant should something be amiss.
It is very hard to see the eaglet at JB Sands Wetlands, but there are many watching and fingers crossed for this one to fledge. JBS20 certainly does take up more nest space than it did a few weeks ago! Only eaglets have the advantage of having all the food to themselves.
The only eaglet at WRDC continues to grow and thrive, but only after we had to hold our breath a few times. What a year it has been! We will not forget it soon, for all the wrong reasons. That said, the streaming cam is down, and, of course, right before that happened, R6 was fed another pigeon with bands on its legs. ‘H’ tells us, “The cams went down about 4.5 hours ago. R6 ate another pigeon band this afternoon, and we are supposed to be on pellet-and-band watch! Not only that, but the pigeon had a band on each leg, and we were also waiting to see which eagle would eat the other band! Rose ate a pigeon band on 2/11.’
I don’t know about anyone else but seeing these healthy eaglets eat leg bands and nappies and possibly poisoned rats is getting to me. We have so few eaglets this year…ah. Each is precious.
We are a day away from hatch watch at Superbeaks. Pepe and Muhlady should be hearing their chicks inside the shell. Oh, let us hope these eggs are viable. They are such good parents and just got on with life and had a second clutch. Fingers crossed along with toes.
Jackie and Shadow are looking pretty confident. We are now 12 days away from the hatch at Big Bear. You best get the worry beads, the stomach upset medicine, or whatever works for you. This will either be the day we leap out of our roofs in happiness or sit and fill a bucket full of tears. I am thinking of eaglets this year…the champagne is ready.
A look at how Friday went for Jackie and Shadow.
You need to get your votes in! This is the news from Cal Falcons about naming The New Guy.
“After over 200 suggestions and hundreds of votes, we have our four finalists:
Archie, after Archie Williams Galen, after John Galen Howard Morgan, after Julia Morgan and Mulford, after Walter Mulford
Here’s a little more about each of our candidates:
Archie Williams was a successful Cal athlete and engineer. He won gold in the 400m race at the 1936 Olympics, became a highly decorated pilot and instructor, and was an influential teacher in California High Schools. Archie Williams High School is named in his honor.
John Galen Howard was one of the most influential architects at UC Berkeley. He designed many of the most iconic buildings on campus, including the Campanile, where Annie and New Guy live! He also designed Sather Gate, California Memorial Stadium, and many other buildings.
Julia Morgan was the first woman to earn a degree in Civil Engineering at UC Berkeley. She became a prolific and celebrated architect. You can see her work on campus in the form of the Greek Theatre. However, her most well-known design is Hearst Castle.
Walter Mulford was a long-time forestry professor at UC Berkeley, serving as the first Dean of the School of Forestry (now a part of the College of Natural Resources). He encouraged students to gain hands on experience outdoors and founded the Forestry Field Camp in Plumas National Forest.”
Please go and vote. Thanks SP for all that great information!
Wow. Talk about a miracle. Have a look at what happened to this crushed falcon egg! We see these when there is high humidity…and we hold our breath. This gives hope.
When I get sad, I always head to the Royal Albatross Colony. Why? Because I know that the NZ DOC Rangers do everything in their power to ensure that these chicks fledge!
Look at this cutie.
The two osplets at Pelican Bay appear to be doing rather well.
Thunder and Akecheta taking turns incubating their three eggs. Oh, I so hope that this nest is full of little eaglets just like at Big Bear.
One egg at Sauces. Dr Sharpe will be conducting a survey of the nests on the Channel Islands on the 24th according to the moderator of chat. We should be able to find out more about the other nests that we cannot see on cam after that visit.
No egg at Two Harbours for Chase and Cholyn, yet.
Andor and Cruz were both working on the Fraser Point nest – between the camera going on and coming off.
I missed this great video shot with the Centreport Bald Eagle Mum a few days ago. Stunning footage!
At Redding, Liberty proudly stands above her egg delaying incubation and awaiting the arrival of the second egg.
Fireworks. Anyone reading my blog knows that fireworks are dangerous for wildlife as well as for domestic pets. Why we as a society continue to allow millions of dollars to literally go up in smoke is beyond me when there is so much to be done for the environment, wildlife, human health, education, and housing. So, the fact that there are plans for a firework display in a nature reserve in Spain is incomprehensible.
For a smile, a close up of that Puffer Fish that Bradley was eating on the ropes on the 16th at Port Lincoln.
Thank you so much for being with me today. Please send your good wishes to all the nests and, also, to little Hugo Yugo. She is just not herself yet. She ate a few bites of food and then wanted in her carrier to be alone and sleep. I do worry about her so much. After losing Lewis, I am perhaps a bit sensitive, but Hugo Yugo has had such a rough start in life and she is so tiny – well…I am concerned.
Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, screen captures, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to write my post today: ‘A, H, J, SP’, Window to Wildlife, Heidi McGrue, Jenna Lynn Dorsey, Eagle Country, SW Florida Eagle Cam, JBS Wetlands, WRDC, Superbeaks, FOBBV, SK Hideaways, Cal Falcons, Elite Falconry, Royal Cam Albatross/NZ DOC, Sharon Dunne, Ildiko A Polk, FORE, the IWS/Explore.org, PLO, and The Guardian.
I hope that you have had a grand weekend so far. Some of you will be celebrating the Lunar New Year while others are preparing for the Super Bowl – or maybe both! Whatever you are doing today, enjoy. Savour every moment. Life is way too precious to miss – the tiniest things are often the most joyful. And remember to laugh. Surprise someone by being kind, by saying ‘hello’ to a stranger – who knows, it could lift them up from the deepest depths. Send a note to someone you have been meaning to – just to say ‘hi’.
The ‘girls’ were very needy on Saturday. I am not sure why. Was it a change in the weather? Are they impacted as much as we are? It is curious. Calico woke me as usual – she really is better than the alarm. Today, she wanted to stay for cuddles instead of rushing to get me up to feed the gang. We spent nearly half an hour alone without Hugo Yugo screaming for breakfast. It was fantastic. Calic is a truly a gentle soul – like Missey. Except when it comes to Missey.
After breakfast, Hugo Yugo and Baby Hope only wanted to eat and play. Their minds were made up – today was the day they would leap through the air to catch the unicorn on the end of the fishing pole. As so many of you have reminded me, It is a very good thing Hugo Yugo is so tiny and lightweight. Otherwise, the house would be destroyed.
Missey decided to stay way out of the way. I have noticed that it has been mostly Hope and Hugo Yugo playing rough now. Missey and Calico tend to just go somewhere ‘quiet’.
Missey seems to get woolier by the day. Her back fur is now more than 7.5 cm or 4 inches long. She is brushed no less than five times a day to keep that beautiful coat from turning into a mat.
It is still amazing how much Calico and Hope look alike. Their evening ritual is to get into the ‘Swan’ chair and cuddle around 1800. Calico will give Hope a very good wash, and then Hope, feeling invigorated, will want to play a little rough. Calico gets irritated and boots her out after a few minutes!
Hugo Yugo is so tiny. I still walk around shaking my head. She is now 5 and a half months old. In another month she will have ‘her surgery’. Dr Green has suggested that I get a tiny, tiny onsie for her to wear instead of a cone. Now to find one small enough – or make one ? My sewing talents are not that great, but I am determined to learn how to darn! Maybe there is a Chihuahua onsie????
The kitten adoption has their own vet to do the surgery. Hugo Yugo is also set for a follow-up checkup with Dr Green three days later to ensure everything is in order. It is going to be impossible to stop her from jumping. I was told there are three layers of stitches and I should not fret too much. That is like telling a cow it shouldn’t moo.
After, it was off to the nature centre. With the new snow, the trails promised not to be icy – it was a super morning. Squirrels were running everywhere, invigorated by the colder temperatures and snow. Children were again using the tower to slide their sledges onto Devonian Lake. The Chickadees flitted about the forest – there has to be at least 50 of them – while the Sparrows and Woodpeckers looked for seed. It could not have been a more perfect day.
When I got home, there was a note from ‘B’ alerting me that Annie and the new male were in the scrape. He was calling and Annie obliged. He bowed, keeping his head low and his tail high. This courtship ritual lasted for a good three minutes! Lots of ee-chups. Peregrine Falcons are so civilised.
This new male seems tiny.
Before I go any further, two Osprey brothers fishing in the same area in South Australia. How wonderful. I bet Dad was there, too! Delamere is near the Marina and you might recall that Ervie fished there with Dad when he fledged.
There is so much food on the Eagle Country nest that it is rotting and attracting so many flies. The Eagles probably don’t care, but it does seem that the buzzing around of the insets does disturb them. Meadow and Swampy are deep in the nest bowl. You cannot see them much of the time…I do hope that nest has a good, thick bottom!
It looked like there was a double feeding going on at one time. Look closely in the top image and you can see the little eagles, Swampy and Meadow.
There is continuing drama at the Captiva Osprey nest. Having just named the new female ‘Jill’, that bird has now disappeared and there is a new female. Jack has duly delivered a fish and mated with her at least four times on the nest. I don’t think he cares anymore – he just wants eggs and osplets! The first female to oblige will hopefully be safe from other female intruders and stay the course at least til after fledgling. This nest makes me nervous. Too many intruders. — An update. It is now 1900 on the nest and the new couple have mated 10 times on camera. That must be some kind of record. How many viewers were blushing?
E23 continues to do well. So curious about what is happening outside the nest now. These nests with one eaglet have been so wonderful to watch this year. Big healthy chicks.
Jackie and Shadow continue to take turns doing incubation. Jackie takes control at night – as she always does. I have not seen a lot of prey eaten on the nest since the eggs were laid. Is that because of the snow, OR is it because Jackie and Shadow might deem it a safety measure not to in order to not step on the eggs? I am curious. Let’s see what they do if the snow melts before hatch.
It sure started out window but, overall, the day looks nicer.
Shadow did have to take things into his own talons in order to get more egg time, though! Watch it until the end…Jackie gets Shadow out and then Shadow returns.
Did R6 double in size overnight? S/he will be four weeks old today! the 11th. This eaglet is one cutie. Look at that soft, downy mohawk. It will soon disappear. And those big clown feet. They are turning yellow…and that nice charcoal thermal down—one healthy baby.
Heidi Mc continues the story and provides us with a good ending for R6 and the pigeon band.
Look hard and you can see the little one at JB Sands Wetlands.
Many watching the Redding nest of Liberty and Guardian are thinking Liberty is getting ready to lay the first egg.
SK Hideaways reminds us that Liberty is 24 years young.
A good look at Chandler and Hope’s first egg at Tobacco Creek!
We are now a week away from hatch watch for Pepe and Muhlady at Superbeaks! They are going for gold with a second clutch. Let us all wish them well…they should be able to hear their eaglets cheeping and wanting out of those shells.
They are still incubating the egg. Beau has turned out to be quite good – sad that it is too late to save it, but maybe next year. These close-ups of Gabby need to be seen. Great screen captures.
For the past two years the geese have hatched little ones from this abandoned eagle nest at Decorah. I do hope they do it again this year! It really was marvellous watching all of them leap down to get to the stream with Mum and Dad.
Pittsburgh-Hays is now live again.
Clyde brought Bonnie a big rat for her meal after 2200. Bonnie quickly horked it down and had a wee break before going back to incubation duties.
You can barely see the rat before she downs it. I hope the businesses and people around this nest do not use rodenticides. This is now the ongoing concern for Flaco, the Eurasian Owl in NYC. Rodenticides. Secondary poisoning. It is tragic.
It is pretty quiet at the Port Lincoln Osprey barge. Two fish came in on Saturday around mid-day. The nest is empty on Sunday. I wonder how much longer Gil and Brad will come to the barge.
We know Bradley is doing well. Those pink and red rings sure stand out! Great news.
Rutland gets visits from Egyptian Geese and Colin the Cormorant, but we are all waiting for Blue 33 and Maya to return from their winter migration and the countdown is on. We are seriously less than 42 days now.
Last year Laddie LM12 and Blue NC0 laid the first egg, but it is unclear what happened to Blue NC0 last year. She left the area quite early – in mid-July and she may no longer be with us. I actually have her in the 2023 Memorial Listing. Laddie is not a youngster. So we will have to cross our fingers and toes and wait to see.
If you are in Wales, the Dyfi Nature Centre opens on the 1st of March…getting ready for the arrival of Idris and Seren!
Join with Audubon or Cornell – who cares which one – and do the Great Backyard Bird Count. We are only a few days away. It takes only 15 minutes a day and runs from Friday, February 16, through Monday, February 19, 2024. Here is the info from Audubon.
Want to protect those adorable Albatross? and other seabirds? Well this is how your government policy makers can make a difference. This focuses is from Malta, but it applies everywhere.
Thank you so much for being with me today. Please take care. Look forward to having you with us again soon.
Thank you to the following for your notes, posts, videos, screen captures, and streaming cams that helped me to write my blog today: ’B, H, J, SP’, Cal Falcons, Eagle Country, SW Florida Eagle Cam, FOBBV, FORE, SK Hideaways, WRDC, Heidi Mc, JB Sands Wetlands, Port Tobacco Eagle Cam, Superbeaks, Carol Shores Rifkin, Laura Rose, PIX Cams, Farmer Derek Owl Cam, PLO, LRWT, Dfyi Nature Centre, Audubon, Give a Shift about Nature, Emergence Magazine, and Birdlife Malta.
It is warming up on the Prairies for a couple of days. We hit a summery -16 C on Monday!!!!! There was some snow falling. It looks like snow was falling down in Texas too…there is some seen on the John Bunker Bald Eagle nest near Dallas.
It was raining in Fort Myers and little E23 wanted under Mamma. The thermal down is not all in. There are pin feathers coming.
SK Hideaways catches F23 as the great Mumbrella for us.
F23 is still protecting her precious chick, E23, into the night.
R6 has been fed at the WRDC nest – I am not hearing any news about a pip in that second egg. Remember they were laid four days apart.
Oh, I wish Rose would be more cooperative when she is feeding R6! This little one is a real sweetheart.
It is pitching down rain at the Captiva Eagle nest of Connie and Clive. C10 and C11 are tucked under Connie as best she can!
The very heavy rain stopped at Captiva around 1715.
‘A’ writes: ”Connie flew off the nest about 06:53 this morning and immediately headed off for food. When she returned, it was with the head of a fish – she too must have been ravenously hungry. The little ones both got something to eat, CE10 more than CE11 of course (he largely had to pick up dropped scraps), and the eaglets are now hunkered down under mumbrella as the rain pours down. It’s as bad as it was yesterday and poor stoic Connie has been in this position for all but two of the past 12 hours or so. She is amazing. The garage door technique is her only option at this stage, with the eaglets growing so large, and today, CE11 has managed the prime position right under mum, happily, as he got the raw end of the deal quite a bit yesterday afternoon. “ Where is Clive?
No rain for Muhlady yet at Superbeaks where she is partially incubating the first egg of the second clutch for her and Pepe.
It is dry, so far, for Gabby and V3.
Beau is protecting Gabby and the nest.
It is wet for Abby and Blazer at Eagle Country.
The snow appears to have stopped in Iowa and one of the eagles, looks like DNF, at Decorah North is plucking their dinner on the snowy nest.
Chandler was in and out quick checking the snowy Port Tobacco nest.
There was some quick work on the rails at Duke Farms by both Mum and the new Dad. Mum has been laying in the nest for some time Monday afternoon late and evening. Might there be an egg coming?
There was no noticeable pip on either egg at Berry College Monday night. Egg 1 is 39 days old today.
The first fish of the day came at 0732. Both Brad and Gil were on the nest and could see the arrival. It was tense. Gil got it. These are incredibly handsome lads.
Brad gets a nice late afternoon fish!
The most recent posting for SE31 at the Sydney Olympic Park and the Parramatta River. So grateful for the images that the BOGs are sending.
“January 16: all 3 Eagles were reported at the river early at 7:30, with a duet and SE31 calling too. I have noted that she was seen with prey yesterday, probably a fish, though no catch details. At 8:30, juvenile was at Juvie Roost and one adult nearby at River Roost when an osprey flew past, calling. The adult flew to SE31, as the osprey, possibly the young one, continued upriver. The river is still very muddy, with floating rubbish. Then at 10:10am, SE31 was spotted on the island with prey, possibly a bird. She was eating, then distracted by the parents’ duet, and when changing branches, she appeared to drop it, though was seen pecking at scraps on the initial branch. She probably did not catch this herself, though delivery was not seen. She was heard whining again later, and at 11:05am, all members of the family were still around on their riverside roosts. Later, at 1:30pm, SE31 was on the island, but her parents were not seen until mid afternoon, at around 3:30pm, when they were both seen near Goat Island.”
‘M’ sent a note about an intruder at the Achieva Osprey Nest of Jack and Diane. A female. Jack didn’t mind. Was it, ‘M’ asks – one of their chicks visiting? I have old images of the heads of the fledglings. You will remember that the pattern on the head of the osprey is the ONLY part of their plumage that does not change. I wonder if it is Tiny Tot Tumbles? She has returned on a couple of occasions. ’M’ says, “…09:25:08 when an intruder came into and landed in nest with Jack. He allowed her to land in nest with no push back and I’m wondering if she might be a chick from previous years. She is certainly a beauty and I think Jack is really impressed by her.”
For all you Red-tail Hawk lovers, World Bird Sanctuary (Home of Murphy the BE that incubated the rock and raised a fledgling) has sent some news of two of their RTH releases that have trackers!
“Both of our former rehab patients that had radio transmitters put on them are doing well. Lynyrd, the juvenile Red-tailed Hawk, is covering quite a bit of ground as he moves around the city. He spent the first few nights near the release site before heading east, further into the city. Since then he has moved southward and is now moving back west while still remaining in St. Louis City. As a juvenile bird, Lynyrd doesn’t yet have an established territory. He will mostly likely not breed until his 3rd year (2025) and it will be interesting to see if he finds a territory before then or remains more nomadic. Check in tomorrow to see how the adult is doing! Forest Park Living Lab is a collaboration between the Saint Louis Zoo, Saint Louis University, the National Great Rivers Research and Education Center, Washington University in St. Louis, World Bird Sanctuary, and Forest Park Forever.”
It is always good to see birds safely released and living in the wild after receiving rehabilitation.
Humans brought mice to the islands of the Southern Ocean. It took more than a million dollars to make Marion Island mouse-free. Can you imagine mice eating adult albatross and petrels? Well, that is what they did!
I tried to take a good photograph of the article about the Million Dollar Mouse that appeared in the Winter 2023 BTO News. It isn’t great.
The drawings are great and there is additional reading on the bottom right which is pretty clear.
More details about the father and son team that stole wild Peregrine Falcons and their eggs in Scotland and sold them on to the Middle East are coming to light.
It is winter everywhere. What is cold to me might not be the same temperature as it is in Iowa or Texas, but when the temperatures drop – we all get cold. Birds and animals. I grew up in Oklahoma, and they have posted a recipe to help the birds out in the winter. This could be a fun project! It is a great recipe and is much more cost-efficient than purchasing ready-made. This could be a great project to create interest in children – yours, at school and in youth groups. Bring in the science of how birds stay warm. What kind of food do they need – get them involved in making the suet!
Because it is cold, the suet does not melt. It can be cut with cookie cutters or pressed into other forms such as paper cups that can be removed. A hole can be made, and they can be hung from branches.
Use only unsalted peanut butter, please. No bacon grease, etc.
Thanks so very much for being with me today. Stay warm. Stay safe wherever you are. We hope to have you back with us again soon.
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Thank you to the following for their notes, posts, videos, articles, and streaming cams that helped me to compose my blog today: ’A, H, J, MP’, John bunker Tower Cam, SW Florida Eagle Cam, SK Hideaways, WRDC Eagle Nest, Window to Wildlife, Superbeaks, NEFL-AEF, Eagle Country , Raptor Resource Project, Port Tobacco Eagle Cam, Duke Farms, Berry College, PLO, Eagle Cam, Achieva Credit Union, World Bird Sanctuary, NZ DOC, BTO Winter News, Raptor Persecution UK, and the Oklahoma Ornithological Society.
As most of you know, I write my blog the afternoon and evening prior to the morning I publish it. I have had countless letters and notes today and a couple of comments wondering why isn’t anyone searching for Harriet. I do not know who began spreading the idea that there was no one looking for Harriet. Harriet is one of the most famous Bald Eagles in the world. She is beloved by the Pritchett family and thousands and thousands of watchers. She is known throughout Fort Myers. All of the news media – papers, radio, and TV news have covered the story of Harriet missing. People have been out searching. Here is one story that is carried about those searches.
Saturday was one of the most heart-wrenching days I have spent monitoring a single nest while trying to keep up with some of the others. We are all sad. You are, I am, the Pritchett’s are. My thoughts have gone to M15 who is actively grieving for his mate and yet, has the responsibility for their last two eaglets. He brought in a fish big enough for all three to eat well this morning but, as we all know, 22 ate it all. 21 got little as I document below. It pulls at our heart. M15 will look after these children as best he can. He has other responsibilities too – while not knowing what has happened to Harriet. It is a very different situation to Gabby who had no eaglets on the nest. We do not know what will happen if 21 continues to keep 22 from eating. There are many scenarios at play with lots of people behind the scenes trying to figure out what is the best thing to do. All I know is that the Pritchett family cares deeply for its eagles. They have a stocked pond for them. They got help for 17 and 18’s eyes immediately. Those eagles are part of their extended family. If anyone can pull a Rabbit out of a Hat, the Pritchett’s can working together with CROW and the USFWS. The best place for the eaglets is on the nest with their dad, M15. I hope that there is a sudden change in 21 because 22 needs food and it is scared of its stronger and larger sibling. At the same time, M15 will, as eagles do, feed the beak that is at the table. I live in the hope that something good will happen.
I spent my Saturday on and off the SWFlorida Eagle Cam. All of the other nests appear to be fine. It is agonising to watch 22 being so hungry, digging through the nest for scraps when 21 has been fed well and has kept its little sibling from being fed by M15. 22 was able to get enough off the bones and fish by itself to get a small crop. I want 22 is a survivor like Tiny Tot Tumbles and Blue 464. Certainly 22 is as afraid of eating as TTT was…we just have to hope. The good news and celebration is down in Miami with Rose and Ron. And well, the fact that everyone else is doing well including Zoe who has a perch above a creek makes everyone happy. The first part of my blog is a long overview of SWFlorida today. Then I move into the other nests and all the great news happening elsewhere.
The temperatures are climbing on the Canadian Prairies with the Polar Vortex moving away. There is little wind. The squirrels were out in the garden enjoying a good feed.
You can see some of the snow falling. Dyson is on top heading for a solid seed cylinder while one of her babies is enjoying Black Oil Seed and some Butter Bark Bites.
M15 flew in with a large fish with its head on at 12:15:04 on Saturday. E21 was first up and did not hold back keeping its younger sibling in submission. As it ate and ate, E22 sort of shifted, keeping its head down, hoping there might be some fish left. E21 as I write has been feeding for a long time. M15 constantly looking around, keeping what is going on in the surrounding environment in his head. 21 is getting some huge bites. If you were watching – and thousands are – you will see that 22 finally moved up and got a bite – before 21 reached out to peck it. M15 left the nest and the rest of the fish.
E21 has been eating for at least 30 minutes and has a huge crop. M15 does a good job feeding his eaglet amidst all the other worries he has.
M15 waited for 22 to come over. 21 is stuffed and appears to be ready to go into food coma. 22 is looking.
The famous two bites of fish for 22.
At 13:03, just as 22 was set to eat, 21 goes on the attack.
M15 flies off. He is very preoccupied with the intruders into his territory. Don’t blame him! It is difficult to care for the eaglets, secure food, and secure the air space around the nest.
n the midst of his own personal grieving, M15 is taking care of his eaglets and his territory. He is an extraordinary dad and he will do the best he can BUT he cannot pull 22 up to the table to eat. There might be some tactics he could use but he has a lot on his plate and has no mate to help him.
The story continues with E22 finding fur and an old fish tail in the nest and self-feeding. Now get over to the new fish, 22. You got this!
E21 is aroused and is practically sleeping on the fresh fish..
22 creeps over with the fish tail towards the fresh fish and 21 strikes. This reminds me of Tiny Tot Tumbles. TTT ate the old food on the nest and survived until a time when the parent fed her secretly after dark when the other two slept. Fingers crossed that 22 can get a piece of that fish…there are two sections, the body and tail and the head. Plenty for both eaglets. A22 is desperately trying to self-feed. He just doesn’t have the technique down…hold it down with your talons and pull hard, 22!
E21 went back and 22 continued to work on the fish tail. He has gotten some fish off it – even a few bites helps. Every bite helps.
Then 21 took the fish tail. That was a moment when I felt someone had just hit me in the gut. How could he deny 22 that small morsel of fish? He took it and then just left it.
22 finally got over to the fresh fish and began picking at the head – not the open part – without success.
Then M15 flew to the nest at 14:18:39. I wonder if he saw 22 at the fish wanting food? But leave it to 21 – who is still bursting – to go up and begin pecking 22. Sad. Will 22 get some food?
It is possible we need another fish on this nest…22 is still not getting any and 21 is bursting at the crop. Sometimes if another fish comes on in rapid succession and if the parent won’t give up, the second submissive eaglet gets to eat. You have seen this at other nests. M15 doesn’t have the time to get out and get another fish. We are fortunate he was able to catch that big one this morning.
M15 flew off the nest at 14:49. 21 is in food coma (thank goodness). 22 moves over to self-feed. He found some scraps and is working on a piece. This is good. If M15 flew down now would 21 wake up? or would 22 get fed? We don’t know the answer to that but 22 is getting some flakes of fish. As I said earlier, even small amounts of fish help and we know that 22 ate some of the old fur and dried up rabbit. Bald Eagles eat anything and everything. As an adult, they will eat fur and bones and hard pieces of food to survive if they need to. IF 22 survives, he has been learning some good lessons on this nest for his future. I do hope he does but, it is not a given based on what is happening.
22 pecks and finds some bites until 21 wakes up and comes to investigate at 14:57 when it beaks little sib. 21’s crop is huge.
At 15:39 E22 broke into an area of the fish with flakes…can he get enough to fill up?
At 15:46, E22 could be heard singing, “I Did It My Way” as the little sibling had found enough scraps on the nest and the fish – he is really not that good at self-feeding but 22 worked at it – and he had a small crop. A round of applause. This is the face of a survivor.
It is 18:08, M15 is guarding the territory. He has brought in one large fish and did 3 feedings. Or was it 4? 21 got all of the them but a couple of bites while 22 ate scraps on the nest.
We must prepare ourselves. It is possible that only one eaglet will survive with Harriet’s absence. It is difficult raising eaglets – this size – alone – and I also believe we must accept that Harriet is not returning. If 21 were willing to let 22 get a good feed, I might feel different. But 21 is not willing to share. We wait. We Hope. There is absolutely nothing else we can do as we have no idea what discussions are taking place in the quiet corners of the Pritchett Farm, CROW offices, and USFWS. We know the situation is being monitored and we know that there is a search for Harriet.
Making News:
PG&E backs down from cutting down old pine with a nest to a pair of Bald Eagles. Thank goodness the eagles returned to the nest when they did or the outcome would have been different!
Oh, I wish I lived in Iowa! Do you know anyone who might be interested?
If this doesn’t turn someone’s stomach. What was practised in the UK’s historical past has met up with a society that no longer finds this acceptable. When will the enforcers step up and do what is right? Raptor Persecution UK reports on this tragedy:
The rotting carcasses of shot pheasants, ducks and geese have been found today, dumped on the Otley Wetlands Nature Reserve in West Yorkshire.
Morgan Caygill (@atypicalbirder) posted the following on Twitter this afternoon:
From the grisly photograph it’s clear that at least some of these birds have been ‘breasted’ (i.e. the breast meat has been removed, presumably for consumption).
It’s not clear whether the birds were all shot on the nature reserve or whether they had been shot elsewhere and just dumped on the reserve. It seems unlikely that bird shooting would be permitted on this award-winning reserve as it’s previously been celebrated as a ‘safe haven for wildlife’ (here).
Even if shooting is permitted here, however, the dumping of shot bird corpses would not be permitted. It’s an especially stupid and reckless thing to do given the ongoing concerns about the spread of avian flu.
Regular blog readers will know that the dumping of shot gamebirds is not a new phenomenon, it’s been happening up and down the country for years, prior to this latest outbreak of avian flu: e.g. in Cheshire, Scottish borders (here), Norfolk (here), Perthshire (here), Berkshire (here), North York Moors National Park (here) and some more in North York Moors National Park (here) and even more in North Yorkshire (here), Co. Derry (here), West Yorkshire (here), and again in West Yorkshire (here), N Wales (here), mid-Wales (here), Leicestershire (here), Lincolnshire (here), Somerset (here), Derbyshire’s Peak District National Park (here), Suffolk (here), Leicestershire again (here), Somerset again (here), Liverpool (here), even more in North Wales (here) even more in Wales, again (here), in Wiltshire (here) in Angus (here), in Somerset again (here) and once again in North Yorkshire (here).
‘Shoot managers must ensure they have appropriate arrangements in place for the sale or consumption of the anticipated bag in advance of all shoot days‘.
The Code of Good Shooting Practice is, however, in effect, just advice. It has no legal standing and is unenforceable. It’s handy for the shooting industry to point to it as ‘evidence’ that the industry is capable of self-regulation but it’s not really worth the paper it’s written on if shoot managers can breach it without consequence, as they so often do.
Last year, almost a year to the day, after yet another episode of dumped shot game birds, there was an exchange in the House of Lords where game bird shooter and DEFRA Minister Lord Benyon denied that there was evidence of shot gamebirds being dumped (I know!) and Lord Newby, having seen the evidence provided by this blog, stated he would pursue Benyon to find out what plans the Government had for dealing with it (see here). Unfortunately nothing ever came of that but in December 2022 Green Peer Natalie Bennett said she’d chase it up with Benyon.
Raptor Persecution UK Blog, 4 February 2023
At our nests:
Well, everyone was waiting and most people thought it wouldn’t happen but Rose laid her first egg at the WRDC nest with her new mate, Ron. Congratulations to everyone at WRDC and thanks to ‘H’ who warned me that Rose might be in labour. While I will question the wisdom of raising eaglets so late in the season with the heat, the saying ‘Eagles know best’ is appropriate here. Time: 18:22:10.
Ron has not seen his egg as I finish writing this (2300 Saturday evening). He will, no doubt, be elated in the morning!
HeidiM caught the action on video for us. Thanks ‘H’. Does anyone think Rose looks like she is in shock? Remember this will be the first egg she has ever laid…and her very first chick. Ron is experienced…so happy for him. The pair were so cute working on the nest – all that effort is now paying off.
Pardon me for being me…but I hope that they have one healthy little eaglet to care for this first year – not two or three, just one super healthy chick.
Baiba caught Ron’s reaction! Thanks, ‘H’ for telling me about this video.
Little B16 celebrates its two week old hatch! What a little sweet butterball of a baby.
Pa Berry feeds his baby some squirrel. Two weeks. Notice those black spots…thermal down is coming and our soft little butterball of a baby is going to change.
Connick had a good day. That eaglet is a little butterball like B16. Some people would say he looks like a Buddha sitting there. Notice that gorgeous wooly charcoal thermal down and the way the dandelions form almost a hooded cape over the little fellow. I keep saying….there is something nice about one eaglet on a nest!
Rhona A did an amazing little video clip of Alex bringing in the 15 fish yesterday – I missed the last one. 15. No worries about anyone going hungry on this nest. Lots of fish for self-feeding. Would love to send one or two of these over to SWFlorida or to Zoe.
Valentine and Nugget (yes, that is the official name for 02) are great. There is so much fish on that nest no one knows where to start eating and feeding. Did I saw I wish we could dump about 5 of them on the nest at SWFlorida? That would stop all the food insecurity for 21!
Next Friday, voting will begin for Anna and Louis’s third hatch in their three years together. Be sure to stop in and vote! Give this little one a super name.
Oh, if you are wondering what 03 is doing – well, it is incubating Dudley. 03 often sits on Dudley and we might need a backpack for 03 to fledge with Dudley if the affection continues. If you watch this nest, keep an even on 03’s behaviour. Sometimes Dudley is between his legs when he is being fed. So cute.
And there are no worries about Indigo. Indigo is still in Diamond and Xavier’s territory and was in the scrape screaming in Elain’s highlights for 4 February.
For all you Redding Eagle fans, there is some action at the nest caught by SK Hideaways.
Zoe is apparently fine. She is alive and this is the latest announcement by Fran Solly of Friends of Osprey. Thanks, ‘H’ for the tip that the tracking had come in!
Fran Solly says that Zoe has a perch over the water. Smart girl our Zoe.
The latest news shows images of where Zoe has been fishing. You know, she is a smart girl! Here is the announcement and one of the images. Sure makes you feel better. I wonder if these creeks aren’t full due to the flooding???? Anyone know?
What I would really like right now is an update on Ervie. Let me go and check to see if there is one and, yes, one from a couple of days ago. Ervie is still hanging around Port Lincoln!
Everything is fine at Superbeaks. The eaglets are self-feeding and being fed by Mum and Dad.
Jackie and Shadow are good except for the Ravens/Crows that you can hear at various times when you are watching the streaming cam. We are now 10 days away from pip watch for Jackie and Shadow. I am so glad these eagles have spaced out their eggs and hatch days a bit! Then we can enjoy the little ones at each nest a little longer. What a switch from the heat in Miami to the cool mountains of California with snow.
Do you watch the Bluff City, Tennessee Bald Eagle Nest? Frances laid her first egg of the season with her new mate on the 2nd of February. If there is a second egg, it should arrive today. Her new mate brings her a huge fish to celebrate —– gosh, Ron, did you hear that? Will you bring Rose a big fish, too?
Here is the link to this Eastern Tennessee University eagle cam:
It has been a long and tiring day for everyone. Last year was an exceptionally difficult one and this year has started off no different with the loss of Samson and Alden right at the end of 2022. I cannot imagine Harriet returning to the nest. ‘Something’ has happened to her and we might never know what that was. She was a devoted mother. She was much loved and no doubt we will mourn her later but, for now, it is that helpless feeling. Send positive wishes to the SWFlorida Eagle nest – M15 and 21 and 22 and the Pritchett Family. It is a difficult time for all of them.
Thank you so much for being with me today. Take care. See you soon.
Thank you to the following for their notes, their announcements, tweets, posts, videos, and streaming cams: ‘H’, SWFlorida Eagle Cam and D Pritchett, Terry Carman and Bald Eagles Live Nest Cams and News, Raptor Persecution UK, WRDC, Heidi Mc and the WRDC, Baiba and the WRDC, Berry College Eagle Cam, Window to Wildlife, KNF-E3, KNF-E1, Elain and Charles Sturt Falcon Cam and Cilla Kinross, SK Hideaways and the Redding Eagles, Fran Solly and Friends of Osprey, Port Lincoln Osprey, Superbeaks, FOBBV, and ETSM and BTES.
